'writing below'. This usually means a signature. The sovereign writes her name at the top.

Collins dictionary of law.
W. J. Stewart.
2001.

subscription

The act of writing one's name under a written instrument; the affixing of one's signature to any document, whether for the purpose of authenticating or attesting it, of adopting its terms as one's own expressions, or of binding one's self by an engagement which it contains. A written contract by which one engages to take and pay for capital stock of a corporation, or to contribute a sum of money for a designated purpose, either gratuitously, as in the case of subscribing to a charity, or in consideration of an equivalent to be rendered, as a subscription to a periodical, a forthcoming book, a series of entertainments, or the like.

Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law.
2005.

subscription

The act of writing one's name under a written instrument; the affixing of one's signature to any document, whether for the purpose of authenticating or attesting it, of adopting its terms as one's own expressions, or of binding one's self by an engagement which it contains. A written contract by which one engages to take and pay for capital stock of a corporation, or to contribute a sum of money for a designated purpose, either gratuitously, as in the case of subscribing to a charity, or in consideration of an equivalent to be rendered, as a subscription to a periodical, a forthcoming book, a series of entertainments, or the like.

Look at other dictionaries:

Subscription — Sub*scrip tion, n. [L. subscriptio: cf. F. souscription.] 1. The act of subscribing. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is subscribed. Specifically: (a) A paper to which a signature is attached. (b) The signature attached to a paper. (c) Consent or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

subscription — (n.) c.1400, piece of writing at the end of a document, from M.Fr. subscription, from L. subscriptionem (nom. subscriptio) anything written underneath, a signature, noun of action from pp. stem of subscribere (see SUBSCRIBE (Cf. subscribe) for… … Etymology dictionary

subscription — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ annual, monthly, yearly, etc. ▪ one month, one year, etc. ▪ a one year subscription to this service … Collocations dictionary

subscription — n. arrangement for receiving a periodical 1) to enter a subscription to 2) to renew a subscription 3) to cancel a subscription 4) a subscription to (a subscription to a magazine) amount of money pledged 5) a public subscription * * * [səb… … Combinatory dictionary

subscription — sub|scrip|tion [səbˈskrıpʃən] n 1.) [U and C] an amount of money you pay, usually once a year, to receive copies of a newspaper or magazine, or receive a service, or the act of paying money for this subscription to ▪ Are you interested in taking… … Dictionary of contemporary English